NEWS ITEMS.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13380, 1 April 1912, Page 7

NEWS ITEMS.

A consular report from Ameiica shows that a very large proportion of tho "crocodile skin" bags are manufactured out of n-nhi, bull's hide, cleverly stamped. The lowest of the tenders for the construction of two 27,000-ton battleships for the CJnited States Navy is that of theNNcrwr York Shipbuilding Company— £1,185,200 a ship. A Scotch woman was overheard telling a Mother the other day that she was "s:ur worried." Ma man's to go into the infirmary for an alteration," she explained. King Peter of Servia, following the example set by Dionysus of Syracuse, has joined the ranks of barbers. He does not actually shave and shampoo his subjects, but, nevertheless, makes more out of tho trade than Dionysus; for bo runs one of tho biggest hairdressers' shops in Belgrade, and takes a keen personal interest in its management, i'ete-r also runs a chemist's shop, and acts as agent for a big Fernch firm of motor-car builders. Close upon 300 people will comprise the Quinlan Opera Company, which arrives in Melbourne on June 2, and opens in that city. At present the company is in Johannesburg, and, according to a cable from tho director and organiser, Mr Thomas Quinlan, all records for South Africa have been wiped out by the-, business done. Mr. Quinlan, on arrival at Capetown, was given, a civic reception and welcome. The famous tenor, John Goatos, is with tho company. Sir Harold Harmsworth, and his brother, Lord Northclift'o, constitute one } of the few instances in which "brothers have been made baronets. Lord Northcliffe, who was made a peer in 1905, has been a baronet since 1904. The conferring of a baronetcy on Mr. Michael Murphy, the eminent Dublin shipowner, among tho New Year's honours, affords another instance, his brother, Sir James Murphy having been knighted in 1902 and made a baronet in 1903. Lords Ardilaun and Iveagh are another pair of baronet brothers, Lord Ardilaun having become a baronet by descent on tho death of his father, while Lord Iveagh was created one in 1885. A remarkable example of a, woman's pluck and resource was related to a j King Country journal tho other day. j The woman is a resident of the Taumarunui district. Some few'years ago she became alarmed at noticing the absence of a young child of hers, and ran out to a well in the yard to iind the covering thrown back and the child king i motionless at the bottom of nearly five feet of water, faco upwards, and with eyes and mouth open. The bottom of the well was fourteen feet from the surface of the ground. Without a mo-1 ment's hesitation she jumped down, fished up the child and held him at arm's length abovo her head to drain the water from his mouth, at the same time chafing him to restore animation-. She shouted for help, but her cries at first only attracted another child of hers, one between two and three years of age, who actually shut down the cover of the well. Finally a neighbour heard the stifled cries, and summoning other help, rescued mother and coyld. They both rapidly recovered from their terrible experience.

Mr. G. F. Earp, M.L.C., returned to Sydney last week, after an absence of twelve months in England and tho.Continent. Referring to conditions in the Old Conhtry, he said that there never had been such unrest, politically and industrially, as at present. He was inclined to think iihat England was on the verge of revolution and turmoil.- There seemed to be- a universal determination to obtain better conditions and better wages. The Government was going to try to do for the coal industry what mine- owners and employers had failed to do —iix a minimum wage. Not only would there be an eternal dispute as to what the minimum should bo for this particular industry, but all other industries would clamour for the same thing, and there never would be satisfaction. "Poverty and pauperism are increasing. Indeed, I have never known such distress as was being experienced in England during my stay there. Notwithstanding that last, year a record amount of business was done, the. gi"im arm of poverty was to be seen on every hand. There is no saying how all the industrial trouble will end, but there is one thing certain, and that.is. that strikes of the nature of the one in progress in England at present must materially add to the depression and distress already in existence. It is hard to picture the state into which'thousands will surely drift as the result of such an upheaval."